High domain wall velocity at zero magnetic field induced by low current densities in spin-valve nanostripes

Stefania Pizzini (1) , Vojtech Uhlir (2) , Nicolas Rougemaille (1) , Edgar Bonet (3) , Marlio Bonfim (2, 4) , Jan Vogel (1) , Sana Laribi (5) , Vincent Cros (5) , Richard Mattana (5) , Cyrile Deranlot (5) , Frédric Petroff (5) , Albert Fert (5) , Erika Jimenez (6) , Julio Camarero (6) , Christian Ulysse (7) , Giancarlo Faini (7) , Carsten Tieg (8)

1 NEEL - MNM - Micro et NanoMagnétisme
2 NEEL - Institut Néel
3 NEEL - QuantECA - Circuits électroniques quantiques Alpes
4 Departamento de Engenharia Elétrica
5 Laboratoire Albert Fert (ex-UMPhy Unité mixte de physique CNRS/Thales)
6 FMC - Departamento de Fisica de la Materia Condensada [Madrid]
7 LPN - Laboratoire de photonique et de nanostructures
8 ESRF - European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

Current-induced magnetic domain wall motion at zero magnetic field is observed in the permalloy layer of a spin-valve-based nanostripe using photoemission electron microscopy. High domain wall velocities (exceeding 150 m/s) are obtained for current densities well below 1012 A=m2. These values are beyond the expectations of conventional models describing the interaction between spin-polarized currents and domain walls, suggesting a contribution from vertical spin currents in these trilayer structures.

Mots clés: spin transfer torque; domain wall; spin-valve; PEEM

Domaines: Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Stefania Pizzini, Vojtech Uhlir, Nicolas Rougemaille, Edgar Bonet, Marlio Bonfim, et al.. High domain wall velocity at zero magnetic field induced by low current densities in spin-valve nanostripes. 2008. ⟨hal-00332055v1⟩